[Comprehensive] The winner of life

In the fourth year of Renshou, Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty passed away, the crown prince Yang Guang ascended the throne as emperor, changed his year name to Daye, and conferred the crown princess Xiao's empress, the mother of the world.

After Yang Guang came to the throne, Empress Xiao came to court with the emperor, which was called "the two saints came to court".

Empress Xiao was born in the Lanling Xiao family, one of the top families. Her father was Xiliang Xiaoming Emperor Xiao Kui, and her mother was Empress Zhang.When Empress Xiao was in her boudoir, she was Wanshun, intelligent, knowledgeable, and proficient in medical skills. She knew Zhanhou quite well. She was the concubine chosen by Emperor Wen of Sui Dynasty for Yang Guang, who was still the king of Jin at that time, and she was deeply loved and respected by Yang Guang. .

Although the court officials were whispering in the background, the two saints did not encounter much resistance when they came to the court.

Not long after Yang Guang ascended the throne, he suffered a serious illness. Since then, his energy has not been as good as before, and the government gradually fell to Empress Xiao. The courtiers could not find fault with Empress Xiao’s approach——Empress Xiao brought her prince Yang Zhao by her side , Yang Zhao has always been famous, and the courtiers turned a blind eye to this after realizing that Empress Xiao had no intention of becoming an empress.

In the final analysis, Empress Xiao is still quite famous, that is, like Yang Gong Yang Su, who had the strategy of assisting Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty in establishing a country and establishing a career, and had the merits of pacifying Yang Liang, all the officials of the two dynasties were willing to bow their heads to Empress Xiao. The surviving descendants are all convinced... In any case, Empress Xiao's behavior has long been unstoppable.

In the second year of Daye, the court was stable, and Yang Guang wanted to open a grand canal running through the north and south to strengthen the north-south communication and consolidate the rule of the Sui Dynasty over the whole country.

In the imperial study, the courtiers discussed the matter.

Empress Xiao, that is, Lin Sheng, said with a smile: "This is a good thing for the country and the people. As for the use of people's power--requisition of migrant workers is part of it, and prisoners from all states and prefectures can also be recruited. As far as I know, prisoners from all over the country are added It seems that there are as many as hundreds of thousands. I am not afraid that they will take the opportunity to cause trouble. All death row inmates can block the death sentence and change their sentence to fixed-term imprisonment. Those who stand out will also be rewarded, and if there are those who unfortunately died for the country on the way, the imperial court will be responsible for distributing pensions to their families. As for how to implement it, you can discuss and formulate a regulation in detail.”

"The sage is merciful." Yang Su, who had already worshiped Situ, the prince and grand teacher, cupped his hands at Yang Guang, who was sitting on the dragon chair and fell asleep from exhaustion.To be honest, Yang Su was really relieved that Empress Xiao acted as an agent of the government. His fame and status had reached the limit.

As for Empress Xiao, Yang Su couldn't see through it, but it didn't prevent him from knowing that he would not be feared by the other party. On the contrary... Yang Su set his sights on Prince Yang Zhao, and Empress Xiao also found a crown prince for him who could continue to assist him.

In the second year of Daye, in addition to the construction of the Grand Canal, two remarkable things happened.

In July, Crown Prince Yang Zhao was seriously ill, and he recovered intermittently for half a month. Then in August, Duke Yang Yang Su fell ill again. Lin Sheng brought the prince to Yang Gong's mansion in person.

Miraculously, Yang Su, who was exhausted after seeing the sky, woke up, and couldn't help crying in front of Lin Sheng and Prince Yang Zhao.

To be honest, Yang Su has a beautiful beard and a heroic appearance, but he is also an old man with orange skin at this time. It is pitiful to see him crying like this. Lin Sheng jokingly said: "It seems that God is not willing to take it away. Duke Yang."

Prince Yang Zhao silently took out a handkerchief and handed it to Yang Su.

Scholars die for their confidants, and it's almost the same with Yang Su.

In the third year of the great cause, Empress Xiao was forty thousand years old. Not only the family members from all over the world came to Chang'an to celebrate, but also envoys from neighboring countries came to celebrate her birthday.

During this period, Lin Sheng met Tang Guogong Li Yuan, his eldest son Li Jiancheng, and his second son Li Shimin.Speaking of which, Li Yuan and Yang Guang are two aunts and brothers. The queen of Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty, Queen Dugu, is Li Yuan's aunt. Therefore, Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty valued Li Yuan very much. During the Kaihuang period, he successively served as the governor of Qiao, Long and Qi. Prefect.

Oh, one more thing to say, this is the legendary founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty.

Lin Sheng shifted his gaze to Li Jiancheng and the eight-year-old Li Shimin. Li Jiancheng was imposing, with a neither humble nor overbearing attitude. Lin Sheng looked at him with relief and said to Li Yuan: "Uncle De taught Jiancheng well. It’s been several times, and if possible, I’d like to ask Jiancheng to stay and study with Zhao’er, so that Zhao’er can have a companion.”

Li Yuan naturally wanted what he wanted, but as for what he thought in his heart, hehe, then it didn't matter what happened to Lin Sheng, as long as the Sui Dynasty was in place, Li Yuan would be his minister and Lin Sheng his master.

There were envoys from neighboring countries, but Goguryeo was missing.

Lin Sheng sat at the top with an unpredictable expression.

The next day, Lin Sheng mentioned Goguryeo in the Imperial Study Room. At this time, Goguryeo occupied most of Liaodong and was a relatively large country in the Northeast. The relationship with the Sui Dynasty became very tense after the anticlimactic dispatch of troops by Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty.Goguryeo had extraordinary ambitions and invaded western Liaoning, which directly brought uneasiness and harm to the border of the Sui Dynasty. In addition, in recent years, it has not paid tribute to the Sui Dynasty. All in all, the war against Goguryeo is only a matter of time.

Lin Sheng felt that now was the time.

Pei Ju, the servant of the Huangmen Gate, reported: "The land of Koryo, originally the Guzhu Kingdom, was entrusted to Jizi in the Zhou Dynasty. It was divided into three counties in the Han Dynasty, and the Jin family also ruled Liaodong." That is to say, the land occupied by the Goguryeo regime. Dating back to before the Western Zhou Dynasty and down to the Wei and Jin Dynasties, they all belonged to the territory of the country.

Lin Sheng squinted his eyes, not for the content of the report, but for the person who reported it.Pei Ju, born in a well-known Pei family, is quite famous in the ruling and opposition circles.Speaking of it here, many people may not know it, but if it comes to the famous evil king Shi Zhixuan in the Jianghu, then you are familiar with it, right?

Lin Sheng hadn't expected that this time he would only be in the official history, but when he heard that there were four major clans in this dynasty (the Li clan, the Song clan, the Yuwen clan, and the Dugu clan), there was also a well-known Cihang Jingzhai in the rivers and lakes. After that, Lin Sheng knew where she was.

So it's not surprising to know that Pei Ju has another identity that almost no one else knows.However, as far as Lin Sheng knew, Pei Ju's family also had a wife from a famous family, but in Waishizhixuan, Bi Xiuxin, the previous saint of Cihang Jingzhai, was able to "feed the devil with her body", and the two even gave birth to a daughter... so fun Jingfen played like a fish in water, but in the end he lost it, and he really became schizophrenic.

Lin Sheng glanced over Pei Ju lightly, and said with great interest: "Yesterday I made a bet with the saint, and I told him that within three years, I would take down Goguryeo without a single soldier. The saint I laughed heartily and said that I was talking drunk. I know, if I tell you now, I am afraid that you will think I am daydreaming. So, I might as well make this bet with you, if I can’t win Goguryeo within three years, I will Please stay away from the harem, and never intervene in government affairs from now on."

"Empress, please think twice!"

"That's it!" Lin Sheng made a decision, drove everyone away, and let Yang Su stay.

Yang Su was dubious about Lin Sheng's words, it can be seen that Lin Sheng looked confident, "Does the Empress have a good plan?"

"Is there a good strategy? Yes, I have to leave this matter to Duke Yang."

Yang Su was ready for Lin Sheng to send someone to assassinate King Goguryeo, but Lin Sheng only asked him to summon famous businessmen from all over the country to Chang'an.

"Ah?" Where is this all?

"Just listen to me, and you will understand when you see results."

In the third year of Daye, Empress Xiao summoned famous businessmen from all over the country. Afterwards, the Sui border and Koguryo trade exchanges became more and more prosperous, and a steady stream of treasures were transported to Koguryo. There was a wave of luxury in the upper floors of Koguryo, and the trend gradually spread to the Koguryo royal family. The royal family is especially fond of it.

Attracted by high profits, the merchants of the Sui Dynasty took risks and arrived in Goguryeo with their goods by sea, and were grandly welcomed by the Goguryeo royal family.Later, the goods brought over from the Sui Dynasty gradually shifted from luxury goods to all aspects of clothing, food, housing and transportation, that is, even rice grains were smuggled there, so gold and silver from Goguryeo continued to enter the pockets of Sui Dynasty merchants.In contrast, Goguryeo's taxes continued to increase for the squandering of the upper class.

Public grievances arose and food production decreased. Goguryeo seemed unaware of the seriousness of the problem. After all, they could buy more delicious food from the Sui Dynasty at a very low price in their opinion. Many upper-class people in Goguryeo were complacent about this.

Gradually, the amount of grain transported by merchants in the Sui Dynasty to Goguryeo increased from [-]% of the total to [-]% and finally [-]%.Of course, the price also increases without any trace as the proportion increases.

When the king of Goguryeo realized the seriousness of the problem and wanted to cut off the transaction, it was too late. The grain output produced by his own people alone was already insufficient.

At this time, the three-year period was approaching, and it coincided with the quarterly transaction. With a wave of Lin Sheng's hand, the merchants plundered the little oil and water left in the upper class of Goguryeo, and then completely evacuated from Goguryeo.

To make matters worse, because of the ruthless exploitation and oppression of Goguryeo's upper class, the people of Goguryeo were in dire straits. In the end, a large-scale civil uprising broke out in Pyongyang, the capital, followed by civil uprisings everywhere.

By the time Lin Sheng received the distress letter from King Yingyang of Goguryeo, most of the upper classes in Pyongyang had been massacred by the peasant army, and the royal family had not been spared either.

Lin Sheng circulated the distress letter of King Yingyang to several ministers, saying that if the Sui Dynasty sent troops to suppress the civil uprising in Goguryeo, Goguryeo would pay tribute every year.

Lin Sheng rested his chin and said lazily: "King Yingyang really judges the situation." When Goguryeo attacked Liaoxi and Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty was about to prosecute the soldiers of the Central Plains, the Goguryeo king immediately apologized and called himself "Liaodong dung soil minister Yuan", so be pardoned.This kind of business is not feasible in Lin Sheng's place.

"In order to show my Great Sui Dynasty's sympathy for the vassal states, I would like to send troops, but I have spoken with you in advance. Now that the three-year period has not yet come, how can I break my promise?"